6 reasons to buy vintage rings

By Megan JenkinsJanuary 10, 2020

Listen, we love Michael Hill and/or Tiffany just as much as the next gal. Sleek, shiny, and super modern, engagement ring companies are experts at drafting, casting, and creating beautiful new collections year over year. At Evorden, we adore and stand by those collections with our whole hearts.

But there's a reason we also sell vintage rings. Actually, there's five reasons.

Having seen a serious resurgence in the last ten years, vintage engagement rings are changing the way couples shop for wedding jewelry, and we are totally here for it. The long-story-short is that vintage engagement rings are great for people, planet, and your wallet.

What is a vintage ring?

A vintage ring is a piece of jewelry which was created at least 25 years ago. The exact number of years depends on who you ask, and we generally source rings that are between 30 and 100 years of age. These rings are little bundles of history, beauty, and value.

Uniqueness

Picture an engagement ring. Got it? Okay. We predict that you're imagining either a four or six prong solitaire engagement ring featuring a princess, cushion, or round cut diamond.

This is by far the most common engagement ring. Clichés are clichés for a reason, though—this look is a stunner. But perhaps the most wonderful thing about vintage engagement rings is how unique they are. Far from being churned out en masse by Tiffany or Michael Hill, vintage rings are products of the time and location in which they were handmade. Whether it is a complicated, hand carved setting or a graceful sweeping bypass which enfolds a series of tiny garnets, if you're looking for a unique, one of a kind ring, you must consider vintage engagement rings.

You truly won't find a comparable example in modern yearly collections!

Great value

Because vintage rings are often purchased readymade, or needing very little maintenance or restoration, companies are able to sell them at very reasonable prices. This is because very little labour or design costs are needed in the ring's production. So if budget is a concern, you'd be served well to check out vintage rings which will often include bigger diamonds at a smaller price tag.

Rings belonging to specific eras, too, like art deco classics, will retain their value, and as such, can be excellent investment pieces to be passed down in your family.

The history

The romantic side of vintage rings is really what seals the deal for us. These rings have lives of their own. Maybe yours has been around the world, or accompanied a couple throughout their 50 year marriage. It is full of myth, romance, and history. Isn't it lovely to consider your marriage as part of a longer narrative of unending love?

Environmentally friendly

Because vintage rings don't need to be designed, cast, or produced, they have an extremely small environmental footprint. The cost and waste produced by purchasing, smelting hot ores, pouring, casting, and carving rings can be huge if not done responsibly. Think about the devastation caused by diamond mines all over the world, both in terms of environmental and human impacts.

Buying vintage avoids all of this, and ensures you avoid purchasing a diamond born from conflict.

It's long lasting

This ring has already been around, subject to varying levels of care, for three decades at least. You know this ring was well made. Prior to the industrialization of jewelry production, most engagement rings were carved by hand rather than cast, which makes them extremely durable and strong. This means that, with proper care, your ring could easily become the next important heirloom in your family.

It's so you

There's something incredibly magical about scouring the internet or shops for the perfect vintage engagement ring, because for the most part, finding the ring is like love at first sight.

Purchasing made to order rings can lead to some serious decision paralysis if you aren't working with a good, supportive customer service. There are so many minute variations—you can wind up truly caught in the weeds.

When you buy vintage, you'll leave with a ring you adore. The ring chooses you as much as you choose it, because you don't have the feeling of control and specificity that you get when custom designing or purchasing from a big store. You know when you find your vintage engagement ring that this is the perfect ring for you, because you have no desire (and no ability, really) to change anything about it, but you love it anyway.

Trust us. It's magical.

Check out our collection of vintage beauties here, and as always, let us know if you have any questions below!